


Sleepy nights

by SilenyFade



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, secret santa gift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 22:40:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9037835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilenyFade/pseuds/SilenyFade
Summary: When nightmares wake Ashley in the middle of the night she finds comfort in the company and words of a biotic who also can't find sleep.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for the Mass Effect Fanfiction exchange on Facebook and my giftee loved it so I decided that we can all share it the happiness.

It was late into the night cycle when Ashely stumbled into the mess hall. It was another dream that had woke her up. Another flashback of Eden Prime. Another reminder of how she failed at saving her squad. She needed some water to wake herself up, then maybe whatever other stronger stuff Shepard stashed on board to help forget so she could get some rest before her shift.  
As the doors slid open the low lighting revealed that another was trying to find solstice tonight. Kaiden was sitting at one of the mess tables, his head bowed over the steaming mug clutched tight in his hands.  
“Hey there LT.” Ashely’s voice was soft as she collected her water and brought it over to his table sitting down across from him. “Can’t seem to sleep either?”  
Kaiden looked up from the swirling steam before looking back down, his eyes closing.  
“Headache.” His voice was even softer than hers had been and Ashely had to almost strain to hear him, even in the silence that surrounded them. She nodded softly, though he didn’t see her, and took a sip from her cup. The coolness of the water chased away the dry panicked feeling that had lingered in her mouth and she took another sip.  
“Do you need me to get the Doc?” She tried to keep her voice as soothing as possible so as not to aggravate his headache but he just waved her off.  
“Not that bad yet.” He sipped from his mug, pausing as if trying to breathe through the pain. “Just enough that I can’t sleep through it. Why are you up so late?”  
“Just a couple dreams. Nothing too big.” Ashely shrugged and drank deeply from her cup. She should’ve gotten something stronger, but then she might end up hurting the LT’s head with whatever might happen from drinking too much. So water would have to do.  
“Eden Prime?” His eyes were soft as he gazed over at her through the steam. “You know that wasn’t your fault.”  
“My squad. My command. My failure LT. That’s it.” Her voice was clipped. It hurt to hear what happened so cut and dry but she didn’t want to push anything on Kaiden. It wasn’t his place to help her through the mess that was in her head, especially when his own was giving him so much trouble as well.  
“No one was expecting the Geth to show up. It was supposed to be a simple run for us too.” Kaiden took another tentative sip from his mug, his eyes fluttering softly as the warmth soothed his head. “We lost Jenkins right at the beginning of the mission. Then Nihlus not too far after from what we think was friendly fire. The Commander is taking it pretty hard but it’s what we all signed up for. Danger and possible death included.”  
She nodded and leaned back in her chair breathing deeply. The water and Kaiden’s words were helping to clear the nightmare fog that still clung to her thoughts.  
“They did die doing what they wanted. Defending our people from danger.” Her eyes closed on the tears that were forcing themselves to the surface. She hadn’t cried yet, and she didn’t want to lose it in front of Kaiden. But one escaped, trailing down her cheek. A feather soft touch stroked its path before catching it. Her eyes popped open as Kaiden retracted his hand.  
“It’s okay to cry Ash. Just cry here, were it’s safe and when you get back out in the field,” His lips quirked to the side charmingly. “Send them straight back to whatever hell they came from. With love from everyone we lose against these assholes.”  
Her laughter was soft in the dim light and she raised her cup to him.  
“Will do LT.” Her grin was fierce as she leaned towards him. “With love and lots of bullets.”  
Kaiden nodded and his smiled wavered slightly and he took another drink from his cooling mug of tea. She finally figured out what was in his cup. Something herbal, probably to help with the pain. Her own grin slipped into a concerned frown.  
“LT? You aren’t looking so good. Are you sure you don’t need the Doc?” She said setting her cup on the table. “It’s really no trouble for me to run and grab her.”  
He just waved her off again and drank deeper from his mug.  
“Then do you mind if I try something to help? I used to do it for my sister when she got headaches.” He shrugged and leaned back in his chair as she got up and walked around the table to behind him.  
“Go ahead. Right now anything would be a blessing.” He laughed sadly. “But there isn’t much the Doc can do yet anyways.” Ashely bit her bottom lip before softly placing her hands on either side of his head. Slowly she rubbed her fingers in small circles on his temples as her thumbs rubbed the back and base of his neck. With a sigh his head leaned back into her hands as she became slowly more confident.  
“Helping any?” Her asked, her voice wavering slightly. A soft groan escaped his lips and he relaxed more in his chair setting his tea on the table in front of him.  
“Yeah. Thanks Ash.” She just hummed in answer and continued with her massage as she watched the pain slowly drain out of him. It felt good to do something that helped and didn’t involve shooting things. “It’s really nice.”  
“Well you helped me feel better about my squad. Turnabout is fair play Kaiden.” Her voice was soft and teasing and he laughed.  
“I might just follow you around for the rest of forever if you keep massaging the pain away like that.” He teased back. “You have some magic hands Chief, whoever catches you is lucky.”  
“Of course I do.” She picked up their banter, it was helping distract them both. “And I doubt anyone would want to catch me. Not only am I magical at massage but a decent shot with a gun as well. That freaks most guys out.”  
“Then they are idiots.” Kaiden’s voice had taken on a softer edge. “Because you Ashely Williams are a catch even if most guys are too stupid to cast their lines your way.”  
“Not everyone’s stupid Kaiden.” She laughed. “Here you are getting the special treatment.”  
“Yup, and if I’m smart I’ll hoard the secret of your magical hands to myself.” His eyes fluttered open and looked up at her. “I might just come find you the next time my head hurts. This really does help.”  
She smiled at him and patted his head softly.  
“Any time Kaiden. As long as I’m not busy blowing things up. Talking and hanging out with you is nice.”  
“Yeah it is nice, we should do it more often. Just the two of us.”  
“Next time we get shore leave?”  
“It’s a date.”


End file.
